1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a ventricular assist device, more particularly to a percutaneous intra-aortic ventricular assist device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heart failure is regarded as one of serious heart diseases and signifies that a heart is unable to pump sufficient amount of blood to other organs and tissues of a human body. High mortality in patients with heart failure arises from a heart that is gradually losing pumping function thereof. A weak left ventricle that is incapable of pumping sufficient blood full of oxygen to other organs and tissues of a human body results in left-sided heart failure that is commonly observed among cases of heart failure.
Generally, four categories of conventional devices for curing left-sided heart failure are available in the market: an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP), an extracorporeal membrane oxygenator (ECMO), a total artificial heart, and a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). The aforesaid conventional devices are able to assist the weak left ventricle in order to pump sufficient blood. However, the total artificial heart and the LVAD are implanted in a human body by virtue of a complex surgery such as a thoracic surgery. Consequently, the total artificial heart and the LVAD are only suitable for patients with severe left-sided heart failure.
The IABP and the ECMO can be implanted in a human body without performing a thoracic surgery. Nevertheless, the ECMO is not appropriate for long-term use. Even though the IABP can be percutaneously delivered to an aorta, during severe left-sided heart failure, the IABP is unable to successfully assist a left ventricle due to low pump efficiency of the IABP.
A new device that is capable of efficiently assisting a left ventricle, that can be delivered to an aorta through a minimally invasive method, and that is suitable for long-term use is strongly desired.